Learning To See
by thebrownclown
Summary: Lily Evans was crazy. That much had always been clear.
1. Chapter 1

We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.

- Sam Keen, from To Love and Be Loved

**Prologue **

Lily Evans was crazy.

This much had always been true. Everyone at Hogwarts knew it; the sky was blue and Lily Evans was crazy.

She wasn't the bad kind of crazy though; Lily Evans was the kind of crazy to sit on the roof of Gryffindor Tower during a thunderstorm while her room mates yelled at her to get down, not the kind of crazy to poison her boyfriend's porridge because she suspected him to be cheating on her.

Lily Evans was the kind of crazy to answer a personal question with a small, secretive grin, and turn away without a verbal answer, not the kind of crazy to flash the Marauder's spot at the Gryffindor table to make sure she was one of their 'chosen girls' that day.

Lily Evans was crazy.

But she was the good kind.

Sirius Black figured this out on the first train ride to Hogwarts. _No one in their right mind would be friends with that dick, Snivellus _, he reasoned. _The guy is greasy and looks like a bat. Plus, _thought young Sirius, sitting next to his future best friend and brother, Snape was too much like the family Sirius had left behind. The craziness of Lily Evans was only reaffirmed after she continued her friendship with Snape, long after they'd been sorted into enemy Houses.

Dorcas Meadows figured this out in the summer after their third year, when the Hufflepuff had spotted Lily in their shared hometown. Lily had been riding on the handlebars of some gangly teenager's motorcycle, her head thrown back and her burning hair flying, with a careless grin upon her face; she made no sound, however, and Dorcas decided then, that Lily Evans was crazy.

Remus Lupin figured this out that same summer, when he had confessed Lily, his long-time trusted friend, about his lupine condition at Florence Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. She had given him a small smile, and murmured "I know," before kissing his cheek and walking away, not to be seen by anyone until term started.

Marlene McKinnon had discovered this the winter of fifth year, when she came upon some bloke with his hands up Lily's skirt in a broom closet. Lily's face was expressionless; even a tad bit sad. The girl looked into Marlene's gray eyes as the boy's lip's traveled to her collarbone, and didn't move or make a sound; Lily just waited until Marlene closed the door.

Everyone knew Lily Evans was crazy, and, no matter when they had fully realized it, everyone had known it all along.


	2. Crazy Lily

**Chapter One**

During the last month of their sixth year, the Marauders had planned a prank. This, however, was no ordinary prank, as James and Sirius continued to voice to the other two members of their group. This was the biggest prank they had ever accomplished, and would remain the most epic prank Hogwarts had ever seen until the one they had planned for the end of seventh year was executed, the one they had been working on since first year.

"We're in a gap year," said Sirius, pacing in front of the row of five beds in the sixth years' dormitory. "We had O.W.L.s last year, and we'll have N.E.W.T.s next year. Regular end-of-term exams are done. We have this entire month to execute what will eventually be known as the Second-Biggest-Hogwarts-Prank-Ever-Pulled."

Remus, lying outstretched on his bed, sat up at this. "That's a bit of a mouthful, don't you think?"

"Yeah," nodded Peter, fidgeting around on Sirius' bed. "We should probably have a better name than that."

"The name will come with time," said Sirius. "What we need is the prank. The name forms itself around the prank, not the prank around the name."

"That _is _true," said James from his bed, absentmindedly listening as he stared intently at a bit of parchment in his hands. "No good prank was ever pulled when the name came first."

"Yes," continued Sirius. "I think we all remember Operation Asymptote." He looked accusingly at Peter, who flushed.

"I thought it was a funny word."

"Case in point," said Sirius. "This cannot just be some prank. This is _the _prank." He paused. "Well, it's _the _prank until THE prank is pulled." He grinned, satisfied. "Now, that we've got that settled, spend the day brainstorming, and then we will reconvene this evening. Now, off to breakfast!"

The Marauders trooped down the stairs and through the corridors, until they reached the Great Hall. They were the last ones to arrive, but that happened every morning. The Marauders were the kings of the school, and they made an entrance every morning.

Except for this one.

Long after the Marauders had entered the Hall and their groupies had rushed over to fawn over them, the great wooden doors of the room smashed open, and the golden morning sunlight streaming in from the high windows convened on one person; Lily Evans.

The light illuminated her red hair, pulled up in a messy pile on the top of her head. She paused for a moment, as she saw all the students of Hogwarts gasp at her impudence, and as the groupies shriek at her lateness. No one entered the Hall after the Marauders. If a student had slept in or was running late, they skipped breakfast, for no one wanted to face the Marauders' wrath, and everyone was enamored, and afraid of them.

Except for crazy Lily Evans.

She made her way down the aisle along the Gryffindor table, and she felt the Marauders' eyes on her. She kept walking, the very picture of rebellion. Her school-issued grey knee socks were pulled up to her mid-thigh, while her black skirt was short, so short. It was the perfect distance between the tops of her socks and her…secret garden, as the first-year boys called it, as they discussed her through their bed hangings at night. She had a gray sweater on that could only be sexy on her, and her eye make-up was smudged and smeared, as though she had been out all night. Her long slender legs strode past the Marauders' seats and carried her further down the table, to where the group of sixth year girls were sitting.

As soon as she sat down, the silence broke and furtive whispers that turned into incredulous shouts could be heard about Lily Evans and her late entrance; even the teachers at the Head table had raised their eyebrows at this, but Lily Evans was, and had always been, crazy.

She sat demurely by her classmates as they all exchanged looks. Lily and the others had never been overwhelmingly close; she liked Alice Prewett, and had always thought Marlene McKinnon was good for a laugh, but their relationships had always ended there. She was friends with Severus and acquaintances with everyone else, and when her and Snape's friendship had ended, she had only acquaintances left. They let Lily hang around them because of House spirit and kindness, and, besides, her silent and mysterious ways and travels usually left her somewhere other than where her they were. Lily grabbed a roll and a glass of orange juice, and looked at the ceiling, a small grin upon her face.

Further up the table, the Marauders were finishing their breakfasts, while their groupies and fan clubs were discussing the impudence of crazy Lily Evans in shrill voices.

"And did you _see _her just stride in like she owned the place?"

"You know, she's always acted better than everyone—"

"With that small, secret smile, look at her, she's doing it again—"

"No one knows who the hell she is!"

"Or anything about her—"

"She's a slut, we all know that much—"

"I heard she gave Benjy Fenwick a blowjob in the Forbidden Forest just the other week—"

"He sucked her off too, I heard that as well—"

"And where did you hear that from," asked Remus of the small blonde, who rather resembled a rat, who had made the admission of Benjy Fenwick and Lily doing each other favors.

The girl hesitated, for it was unusual for Remus Lupin to address one of the girls, normally it was Sirius and James who basked in the attention.

"Benjy Fenwick told me."

Remus gave her a small smile. "Don't you think it'd be in Fenwick's interest to tell people that a girl got him off, especially when it's Lily Evans, who never confirms nor denies anything, no matter how slanderous to her reputation?"

The small blonde shrugged. "I still think it's true." Remus did not argue his point further, not wishing to accidentally sully his friend's reputation further. Lily was his friend, he was always sure of this, but he knew he could only ever be Lily's acquaintance; her closest and most trusted for sure, but that was it. Lily Evans was not the sort of girl to get mixed up in the business of friendship or any nonsense like that; Snape had been the exception, and when that had ended, Lily had retreated back to her normal state with platonic relationships.

"You know her pretty well, Remus," said Sirius lazily, and three girls brushed his hair back and ran their hands over his chest; he paid them no mind, since this was an every day occurrence. "If there's anyone she'd suck off, I'd bet it'd be you."

All the groupies turned their heads towards him as he rolled his eyes, not deeming a response to, in his opinion, this ludicrous suggestion.

James leaned back into one of his admirer's arms, and stared up dreamily at the ceiling. "I wouldn't mind letting her suck me off," he said, much to the dismay of his fan club. "Those legs just go on for miles, and she has, without question, the best rack in Hogwarts." With that, all the groupies and all the girls listening in pushed their chests out. "And that little smile she's got," continued James. "Like she's got a secret or something? Well, it would be my privilege to fuck her so hard that she screams it at me." At this, like any talk of sex by the infamous four, those listening, both girls and boys alike gave a little shudder of anticipation and arousal.

"Do you think she's a virgin?" questioned Peter, who was being fawned over by his own small group of admirers.

Sirius shrugged. "If she is, I'd like to be the one to change that."

The group around them dissolved into giggles as the bell tolled signaling the start of first period. The groupies were then unceremoniously dumped from the boys' laps, as they stood up and strode from the Hall, purposefully and beautiful, like gods thundering from a battlefield.

The sixth year Gryffindors had Double Potions with the Ravenclaws first, so the two amicable Houses tread the well-beaten path towards the dungeons.

Lily Evans had disappeared once more during the walk down, but had stepped into class just as the bell rang, with Slughorn tutting affectionately his favorite student.

"Close call, Ms. Evans," he said, twirling his walrus-like mustache with a chubby index finger. "If you weren't so quick I'd have to give you a detention, your exceptional Potions prowess aside."

She her lips quirked as she made her way to her seat, "Then I would just accuse you of wanting to spend more time with me, sir."

Slughorn roared with laughter. "Oh, Ms. Evans, cheeky, cheeky, cheeky." He made his way to the chalkboard, and tapped it twice, so that neat, cursive instructions appeared on it.

"Today, dear students, we will be brewing something…a little different. Now, this is a Ministry-approved potion, so long as it is used by over-sixteens. I will not let any of it leave the classroom, as I find it to be too mature to be of use to even you, but it is also a required potion to have brewed for your N.E.W.T.s. next year."

He clapped his hands together, and his cheeks flushed, as though he was embarrassed by something. "Children, the potion you will be brewing today is a Futuero potion."

Lily's eyes shot up at this, but it looked like she was the only one who recognized it. Slughorn noticed her reaction.

"Ms. Evans, perhaps…perhaps you could enlighten the class as to the properties of this particular brew." Slughorn almost pleaded.

"Alright," she began. "I don't know much about the actual potion, but _futuero_ is the Latin word for sex or, more specifically, to fuck."

This got some giggles out of the room, and a couple of the Ravenclaw boys nudged Benjy Fenwick for they too had heard the rumors about him and Lily.

"I assume the potion has something to do with that," she finished sweetly, looking at Professor Slughorn, who was busy dabbing his brow with his patterned handkerchief.

"Yes…yes." Said Slughorn, flustered. "The potion is designed to…stimulate relations between partners."

"So it's like Viagra," yelled out a particularly bold Ravenclaw, who eyed James as she said this.

"What's Viagra?" was the response of the majority of the wizarding students.

"Viagra helps boys get it up when they can't," said Lily, who turned, very obviously, and stared pointedly at James when she said this, and elicited hoots of laughter from the males in the room and a deathly glare from James's flushed face.

"You would know, wouldn't you Evans?" shot back James angrily, put off that Lily had said that in front of the admirers.

"I don't need help getting boys to get hard, Potter. You should investigate the potion, though. It might help you and Black during all those hours when you're…alone together."

The two boys' faces flushed a deep crimson as Lily gave them a small, innocent smile, and turned back around to face the front of the room, where Slughorn was attempting to quiet the class's hoots and hollers.

"Please, settle down, please. Benjamin Fenwick stop doing that unseemly thing to that chair this instant!

The class eventually settled, and it was then that Slughorn told them they had the rest of the two hours to complete the potion. The class stood up with a great clamor and moved in packs to retrieve their ingredients from the cupboard.

"Did you hear what the bitch said about Sirius and James?" whispered one girl.

"I know," murmured another. "Such impertinence."

James was still staring at Lily Evans with shocked faces, but she paid them no mind. She had settled back down after getting the necessary ingredients and was beginning to light the flame under her cauldron.

"Can you believe she said that?" asked James.

"Whatever, man," said Sirius, fiddling with his own flame. "It's only crazy Lily, right?"

"Yeah," started James. "But still."

"Look. It's not a big deal. If you want to exact your revenge, go for it. I don't know, fuck some bird and make sure Evans catches you when she's out patrolling, or something. It seriously doesn't matter."

"You're right," said James slowly. "After all, it's just Crazy Lily, innit?"

Further up the rows, neither boy saw the slow smile spread across that exact girl's face, as they discussed her irrelevance.

The lesson went on, and potions were brewed successfully (in Lily's case) and not so successfully (in Benjy Fenwick's case, because he had been trying too hard to stare at Lily's arse).

Everyone started gathering up their things once the bell had tolled, and were so engrossed in their own conversations, that no one, except Benjy Fenwick, who had been staring at her for the entire lesson, noticed Lily Evans slipping a vial of the potion into her robes' pocket.


	3. Moony's Dilemma

**A/N: **Hi! Sorry for the week absence, I had a lot going on. I promise the updates will be more regular than this. I know it seems really boring and unconnected now but trust me, it will all come together. Everything that happens in this fic happens for a reason, even if that reason won't be revealed until much later. This is really just a filler chapter, setting some stuff up for all the future Jily drama. A new, juicier update will be up this weekend! Thank you to all of you for reviewing and favoriting and following!It really helps. Stick with me, I'm feeling good about this fic!

Later that night, Remus and Lily were roaming the halls for their patrols. The pair walked in a companionable silence, their illuminated wands held out in front of them. Their footsteps echoed against the stone floors as they checked nooks and crannies for students staying out past curfew. Remus knew their hearts weren't really in it, however; his own friends had been in detention for breaking the rules more than he could count and Lily—well he wasn't exactly sure what Lily thought about it. He knew, as did the rest of the school, that Lily went on odd midnight trips. More often than not the Marauders would see her leaving Gryffindor Tower at all hours of the night, not returning until breakfast time. So, whatever she was doing during these times, Remus suspected she didn't care so much that students would be out of bed.

After the pair had skimmed over the nooks and crannies of their beloved school, they walked back to Gryffindor Tower, discussing the upcoming Quidditch final.

"It's great that we're in it again," said Remus. "I mean, how wicked would it be if we won all of the Cups from second year to seventh?"

"Extraordinarily wicked," said Lily softly.

"James really wants it, seeing as it's his first year captaining and all."

"Yes, I suppose it would be rather embarrassing for him if he was the first to lose the four-year winning streak."

Remus nodded. "Quidditch is his life. Apart from his friends, he doesn't care about anything else, really. He wants to be a professional, one day."

"One day…" mused Lily. "I suppose we all want to do things, one day."

Remus looked at her. Lily's hair was darkened by the moonlight, and appeared black as coal; her skin was paler than normal, which had nothing to do with the lighting, he suspected; her eyes were the only things that had remained the same lo these many years. He remembered on their very first train ride, seeing those eyes stand out of a crowd of two hundred frightened first-years. Deep and full of mysteries, the green orbs gave nothing away to the inner-workings of the reclusive Lily Evans's mind, a puzzle the students of Hogwarts had been trying to work out since she first stepped foot in the hallowed halls almost seven years before.

"And what do you want to do, one day, Lily?"

She gave him a small smile as they stopped outside the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was snoring softly against her picture frame.

"I want to live, Remus." She looked into his eyes a moment longer, and turned on her heel and began to walk away.

"Lily," he called after her, still puzzled as to what she had meant. "Where are you going?"

"I have some business that needs attending to," she cried back, not bothering to turn as the darkness swallowed her form, and Remus was left standing, alone, by a portrait of a fat woman.

He stood there for a little while longer, musing over the mystery that was Lily Evans, but then began to get cold, so he scrambled inside the portrait hole and rushed up the boys' stairs, to where the other Marauders were sitting on their respective beds, waiting for him.

"Moony," said Sirius with a nod. "How were patrols?"

Remus shrugged. "Same as ever; people having sex, me having to break them up. You know, this Prefect job should've come with some kind of disclaimer or something because I have seen way too many blokes' cocks and—"

"Who'd you have them with tonight?" questioned Peter from behind a Quidditch magazine.

"Lily," Remus replied, walking over to his trunk and pulling out his old pair of maroon pajamas.

"Evans?" James asked quickly.

"Well, we only have one Lily in the school…"

"Yeah, I know," James tried to brush his outburst off. "Did Crazy Lily do anything, well, crazy?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "You know I don't like it when you call her that."

Sirius shrugged. "Mate, this is actually something we were discussing before you got up here."

"Lily?"

"Specifically, you and Lily. We…" he glanced around at the other Marauders, who spurred him on with nods. "Look I'll just lay it all out. You're a virgin."

Remus sputtered, surprised at this. "S-so? Who cares, it's not as if it's a big deal or any—"

"Mate," interrupted James. "You're seventeen. Of course this is a big deal. We've all done it, even Peter. Even _Peter."_

"Hey!" protested Wormtail at the emphasis.

"The point being…well we wanted to ask why. You're a good enough-looking bloke, and no shortage of admirers at meals and in the halls."

"And," interjected Sirius. "A bunch of the birds we throw away always are asking about you."

Remus looked at him. "So you're offering me your used up sluts…thanks." He said sarcastically.

"Hey now," protested James. "Some of them are very nice girls."

"Very nice girls with daddy issues," said Sirius, much to the delight of Peter, who promptly snorted and fell back onto his bed in gales of laughter.

"Look," said Remus. "I just haven't found anybody, okay? It's just…at the risk of sounding like a tosser, I actually want my first time to _mean _something, not just be some random shag with some skirt you set me up with. And, to have it mean something, I'd have to know the girl, meaning she'd have to know me _meaning…"_

"Meaning you'd have to tell her about your furry little problem," said James, understanding.

Remus kept his eyes downcast. Sirius walked over and clapped him on the back.

"Which brings us back to Crazy Lily. She knows about your 'times of the month', doesn't she? And she's not half-bad looking now, is she?"

"Not bad looking at all," agreed James.

"She's gorgeous," said Peter, eliciting raised brows from the others. "Well she is!" he continued defensively. "She has that long, red hair that's always so shiny, and her eyes…I remember, back in first year on the first day, I got lost going to the bathroom, and I ended up in this pitch-black corridor, and I got a tiny bit apprehensive and—"

"—_A tiny bit apprehensive_?" hooted James. "Is that your way of saying that you were so scared you were pissing your pants?"

"_Anyways,"_ Peter said, glaring at James. "I was stranded for a while, feeling my way along the walls, trying to get out, but I always ended up were I'd began, and I gave up and I thought I'd just sleep there and wait until morning, but I saw this pair of insanely green eyes just swim out of the darkness…I thought it was a cat, but then Lily lit a match and I saw that it was her. She gave me one of those smiles, and just walked with me up to the Tower, and she didn't say a word the entire way."

"Well," said Sirius. "At least now we know she was always crazy. Anyways, back to it then. We were thinking…why don't you just sleep with Evans?"

Remus sat there, his mouth opening and closing like a fish's'.

"You want me to sleep with _Lily_?" he asked, incredulous.

"It's perfect!" said Sirius. "That way, it can mean something because you _know _her and you're _friends,_ but you won't have the complication of furthering the relationship!" He looked around for some approval; he was greeted by it with Peter, with Remus he was greeted only with surprise and disdain, while James had no expression on his face.

"James," said Remus tentatively. "What—what do you think of the plan?"

"Why are you asking me?" questioned James, perhaps a little too harshly.

"Well, you _did _ask her out fifth year."

"That's right, you did," said Sirius unnecessarily. James shot him an annoyed look.

"Look, my deluded fifteen-year-old self thought that the best way to get into Crazy Lily's pants was to ask her out. Obviously not, seeing as that is literally the only emotion I have ever seen her display in the seven years I've known her. All I wanted to do was shag her, much as you're trying to do now, and I have no qualms against it." He settled back into his pillows, and picked up a book at random, and began to pretend to read it while it was upside-down."

"I never said that I would do this!" said Remus. "Lily is my friend, and I don't want to ruin whatever relationship she has with me by asking her to have sex with me!"

"Then don't," said Sirius. "I'll handle the whole thing."

"No, no Sirius that's not what I meant," tried Remus, but Sirius had already given him a smile, as if to say the matter was closed. Remus could only wait now, and hope his friend wouldn't do anything too drastic, while also kind of hoping that he would.

The day after that was Saturday, a perfect day for the Marauders and the rest of the sixth years to enjoy the sun out on the sloping lawn, looking out over the Forbidden Forest. The sixth years of all Houses lounged on conjured towels and blankets, and stripped off their heavy stockings and socks while loosening their ties and removing their wool cardigans and blazers.

The area that the Marauders filled was surrounded by females in varying states of undress, in some places more than three deep, counted Sirius. He leaned back onto some bird's bony legs. Francesca, he thought her name was. Or maybe it was Margaret? Sirius shook his head; he could never remember the irrelevant people who circled in and out of his life.

Once hours had passed, and he felt he was sufficiently sunned, especially on his chest, due to the numerous requests for him to remove his shirt, he stood up and stretched. All the girls in the vicinity swooned as his back muscles rippled.

"He's absolutely divine," cried a blonde Ravenclaw.

"He's perfect," crowed another and, not oblivious to his admirers calls for him to come back, Sirius strode a little ways down the lawn until he reached a solitary figure, lying on a striped muggle beach-towel, reading a thick paperback book.

"Evans," he said cordially, approaching her. She glanced up and, over the tops of her sunglasses, looked him up-and down, so slowly that he wanted to squirm.

"Like what you see?" he asked cockily.

Lily shrugged and returned to her book. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

Sirius, not used to this kind of this brusque dismissal, started. Lily noticed and rolled her eyes.

"You boys all act like you're God's gift to the earth or something, but there are a thousand other boys and men that look like you, act like you, and talk like you. Now stop being cocky and offended and tell me what you want, so I can return to my reading." She smiled up sweetly at him but, for the first time in seven years, he noticed something dark and sensuous about the smile, as if she was well aware that she could completely devour him right there and he could do nothing to stop it.

But, he was Sirius Black, goddammit, and there was no way in Hell he'd let a crazy bitch like Lily Evans disrespect him like that.

Sirius grinned toothily, baring his teeth at her. "Look, Evans, I don't have time to play around with you."

"I have no intention of playing around with you, Black; whatever gave you that impression?" She smiled her damned smile again, the one that made the girls want to be her and the blokes want to be in her. Sirius growled at her.

"I need a favor," he said through gritted teeth.

"A favor?"

"A favor."

"And what kind of favor is this exactly?"

"It's about Remus."

"Interesting."

"What is?" asked Sirius, growing tired of the game.

"Interesting that you would come and ask of me a favor for Remus, when clearly, the two of us are closer than you and I. Remus isn't shy around me, therefore it has to be about something he either doesn't know that he needs or about sex." She said this so bluntly that Sirius was taken aback. "Or both," she added.

"How'd you know?"

"I can read people, Black. I've spent my entire life perfecting the art of understanding the human being, both the physicality and mental and emotional states of it."

"Is that why you fuck so many blokes?" interrupted Sirius accusingly.

"Who says I fuck so many blokes?"

Sirius paused, unsure of what to say.

"Don't you see, Sirius? You say that scathingly and with the intention of hurting me or making me embarrassed, yet the most you know about me is only hearsay. Over these seven years we've had three previous conversations, all of them to do with sex. In third year, when you and Potter thought it would be hilarious to ask me what I thought about threesomes; in fourth year, when you snuck up to my dorm room and stole my knickers and gave it to Peter as "evidence" that he slept with me; and at the beginning of this year, when you asked, quite seriously, if I had slept you're your brother Regulus. Therefore you assume, with the assistance of the Hogwarts rumor mill, that I have sex constantly. You, along with the rest of the student body, have an image of me that represents this sex-crazed girl who sneaks out at night and fucks anything she wants."

Sirius sat down beside her, and nudged her with his bare foot so that she would move over so they could both occupy her towel. In the distance, he heard the indignant grunts of his fan club, no doubt watching his and Lily's every move.

"But is it true?"

"Hmm?" she replied, her attention returned to her book.

"The image. You talk this talk about how the Hogwarts rumor mill spreads all these things and conversations like that make me make assumptions about you, but is the image a proper one? I mean, every rumor has some truth to it, doesn't it? If it wasn't believable, no one would spread it."

Sirius glanced over at her, spread out on her stomach, one hand supporting her chin while the other put down her book. She shifted, so that her hand was supporting the side of her head, and she was lying on her side. Through her white cotton shirt, Sirius could see the curve of her breasts flowing into her slender hips. He knew she was attractive, and he saw it, like any other bloke in the school. He had always known it, just like everybody else had. As a small, demure eleven-year-old, she had been beautiful in the most innocent of ways, with her soft curls and hard eyes. Even the seventh-years had noticed her, which had made Sirius all the more proud to be in her House and her year.

"So, is it?"

Lily held her bright gaze with his. Her lips quirked, as if she knew some fantastical secret that she would never share, and he realized then that she wouldn't tell him, not then anyways.

"The favor," she said.

Sirius nodded. "I want you to sleep with Remus."

"You want me to sleep with Remus," she repeated. "And why's that."

"He's a seventeen-year-old virgin."

"And is that such a bad thing?"

"It is if you're a Marauder."

"Ah yes. I had forgotten that friends need to force friends into sex, however unwilling they are."

"Look Evans," Sirius started. "Remus _wants _to have sex. He just doesn't want it to be some meaningless fuck."

"So find him a girlfriend."

"Marauder's don't get girlfriends or, not real ones anyways. Our girlfriend's are there to satisfy us when we want them to, and then leave."

"What an archaic, patriarchal world you boys live in."

"_Evans_. He wants to lose his virginity, but he wants in to mean something. He wants it to mean something, but he doesn't want a girlfriend. You are the only person who fits the criteria."

Lily's eyebrow twitched. "Does he know you're doing this?"

"I told him last night."

"And was he _okay _with you doing this?"

Sirius shrugged. "More or less."

Lily laughed quietly.

"So will you do it?"

Lily sat up and pushed herself to a standing position. She stretched, and Sirius could appreciate her curves and lines from his vantage point. She picked up her book and walked a few paces before turning.

"Everything comes with a price, Black."

She raised her eyebrows, and walked away again, this time without looking back.

Sirius sat there, on Crazy Lily's forgotten beach towel, pondering the mystery that was Lily Evans.

He shook his head, trying to clear it. It was too nice of a day to figure the caverns and mazes of that bird's brain. He stood up and made his way back to the Marauders and his fan club, where he was welcomed with open arms.

Later that day, James and Sirius were sitting alone in a near-empty Great Hall. Remus was off studying and Peter had found a girl, and, as he told the Marauders the previous night, he was going to "try to feel her up".

The dinner rush was over, and only a few students remained, chatting over the remnants of their Saturday meal. The Marauders' admirers eyed them from afar, but it was obvious from the boys' hunched shoulders and low voices that they wanted no attention.

"What'd you say to Crazy Lily?" asked James, prodding Sirius with his fork. "Earlier today on the lawns?"

"I asked her if she'd fuck Moony."

"Did she agree?" asked James, carefully projecting apathy.

Sirius shrugged. "I don't really know."

"What do you mean you don't really know? Did she or did she not agree to take our friend's virginity?"

Sirius shrugged once more. "She confused me. I tried explaining the situation, but before I could do that, she guessed it." Sirius didn't want to add the part of the rumor-mill-sex-talk he and Evans had had. He wasn't quite sure what she'd made of it, but it had felt almost heartfelt and personal to him, and he wasn't exactly sure with how he felt about that yet. "Then she said that everything came with a price."

"A _price_?" asked James incredulously. "What, are we supposed to pay her or something? Does she want money in exchange for the sex?"

"I have no idea," answered Sirius. "I've known my fair share of birds, but goddammit she is the most confusing. Most girls, you know what they want; when they twirl their hair around their finger, they want sex; when they lick their lips, they want to give you a blowjob, but with Evans…I have no idea what the hell she's talking about half the time."

James nodded, and turned his attention to the doors of the Great Hall, where two figures stood in the entryway.

"Is it just me, or is that Snape harassing Evans and three o clock?"

Sirius turned, and nodded.

Snape was clearly pleading with Lily, whose limp arms and expressionless face conveyed nothing. It wasn't until Snape reached up to stroke her face before Lily made any movement. In a quick flash, she grabbed his hand and began bending his fingers backwards. She growled something at him as his fell to his knees in pain, before stalking down out of the Hall, leaving Snape panting on the floor.

James and Sirius glanced at each other, and then took after her without further thought. As they passed Severus on the ground, James slapped him around the head.

The boys caught up with her in the fifth floor corridor, next to the painting of Barmy the Smarmy, and his three hunting dogs.

They had just reached her when she turned abruptly. "Boys."

The two jumped back, startled. "Evans," said Sirius, the first to recover.

She was facing them, her delicate hand balanced upon her hip. She was smiling as though she cared about nothing else than what they had to say, but her eyes were as cold and hard as diamonds, reflecting something dark and sinister from within her.

"What were you and Snape talking about back there?" asked James boldly.

Lily stared at him, long and hard, and though she retained her smile, her eyes turned even more frigid and sharp than they were. Her nostrils flared and she breathed in sharply. "Absolutely nothing."

"Really? Because it looked like something—"

Lily threw him a sharp look that cut him like a knife. She said no words, but it was enough to silence him, out of fear of repercussion, because a vengeful Crazy Lily Evans was not something that a bloke wanted. It was hot when she was mad, and James's pants were feeling especially tight in certain areas, but she still scared the shit out of him, even if he was the king of the school.

Sirius looked back and forth between the two of them before clearing his throat and interceding.

"Did…did you decide?" asked Sirius.

"About what?"

"About…about what we talked about earlier. About you and Remus."

"Have you figured out my price?"

Sirius and James glanced at each other, each indicating for the other to speak. "We figured you'd just tell us what you wanted…" said James.

Lily's smile grew impossibly wide. "Dangerous move, boys."

"I mean…what did you want us to do?" asked Sirius.

Lily stayed silent, staring at them with that damned smirk on her face, that made James want to both slap her and kiss her at the same time. Evans was a different animal than all the other girls, he had realized. He always knew what to say, what to do to get a girl into bed but Lily was so foreign. He had no idea what to say to impress her or get her to give him something…and he knew that no one else did either. Lily was always unimpressed and indifferent, always silent and watching. The Marauders used to joke that she was compiling information on everyone in the school so she murder them in the future.

"Listen," she said, startling James. "I'll do you this favor." His eyes shot up, for he definitely wasn't expecting that.

"Thank—" started Sirius.

"Stop," interrupted Lily. "I'll do this for you, but you two are indebted to me."

Sirius and James glanced at each other, uneasy about where this was going. "What do we owe you?"

"I'll let you know when I need something."

James took a deep breath. "Okay, _one _favor."

"_Any _one favor, to be called in at _any _one time," said Lily with a smile. "Agreed?"

The boys nodded simultaneously. Lily gave them both a slow once over, letting her eyes trail especially long and languidly over James, and turned on her heel and left.

As the two friends observed her from behind an uneasy feeling settled over Sirius.

"Prongs, why does it feel like we've just sold our souls to the devil?"

James was still staring after Lily.

"Because we just did."


	4. Bets and Favors

**A/N**: Remember that time I said I would be sooner than a week? Hehehe. Sorry. Anyways thank you to all of you who have read my story, especially to those who have reviewed it. Shout-outs go to: , Kira Shae, njlawrence, The Infallible Wallflower, dance4ever95, TooLazyToLogin (lazy butt :P) Emma, , and Pheonix of Shae, and all you lovely Guests! Also, to romiofinchel24, thank you for your review and, no, you are NOT insane. I most certainly did have Effy in the back of my mind as I wrote this :)

Just a quick update, more filler bleh. The next chapter will be soon! (I have started on it already) and will start to move things along (let's hope)

Enjoy!

**Chapter Three**

Throughout the next week Hogwarts prepared for the upcoming Quidditch Final. Bets were taken, score predictions noted, and well wishers and admirers lined the halls, hoping to get a glimpse of either team.

James, used to the kind of attention Quidditch brought, carried on as he normally did; basking in all the glory. Benjy Fenwick, Captain of their opponents, Ravenclaw, however, had a bit more trouble adjusting. He grew apprehensive of walking the halls, lest there might be admirers or people intent on sabotaging him.

Two days before the Final, Benjy was walking back from the Hufflepuff dorms, having just successfully used his newfound popularity to get his rocks off. Feeling supremely satisfied he hadn't taken the safest route to Ravenclaw Tower, which all blokes tend to do because all boys feel superior and invincible after they hook up with a girl. This is a universal truth and one of the first things girls learned while attending Hogwarts School.

Benjy was walking along the fifth floor corridor, and passing the portrait of Morgan le Fay, just as the torches lining the corridor blew out simultaneously. He froze, glancing around.

"Hello?" he called out cautiously, lighting his wand in the process.

"Fenwick," said a voice right behind him, and he whirled around, losing his balance.

"Evans?" he said, trying to untangle his right leg from the other. "Did you see who put the lights out? It's weird that they would—"

"I did."

"Wha—what? Why did you put the lights out?" he attempted to regain the 'cool' attitude he so often had around Lily Evans. "Not that I _care,_ I mean, I know how to use a wand—"

"That's not all you can use I hear." Lily stepped forward, out of the shadows, which threw her previously dim features into sharp relief. Her long hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail that curled down to the middle of her back. Benjy noticed her cheekbones stood out a little more than they usually did, but he stopped focusing on this once her realized what she was wearing.

Lily had dressed up for the occasion; the little black dress she was wearing had hardly enough material to actually be called a dress, but Benjy certainly wasn't complaining. The dress, short and low-cut, was everything out of Benjy's wildest imaginations, which always starred Lily Evans. From the curve of her breasts to the tilt to her hips her could not stop looking at her and thanking Merlin that she was in front of him. It took him about three slow up-and downs of her slender body to fully process what she had said.

"Oh, yeah, well," he said. "I'm pretty good with both." His insides were screaming, and his cock had started to twitch.

Lily gave him a languid smile; a sexy smile that came straight out of Benjy's dreams. "So I hear." She walked forward, taking her sweet time and her hips swaying back and forth as she did. "I also hear that you were just in the Hufflepuff dorms with Maggie Lightberry."

"How did you—" but Benjy could not continue; Lily had stepped close to him, so close that her full breasts were pressed against his chest, and one of her slender thighs was pressing in between his legs.

"I know everything about you, Fenwick," she murmured, pressing her soft lips against his neck.

He threw his head back as she pushed him against the wall and began ravishing his collarbone and neck. One hand rested on her waist while the other went and grabbed her full on the arse, and she grinded her hips against him in response. She licked the hollow in his collarbone and then bit down on the side of his neck so hard that he dropped his lighted wand which fell to the floor by Lily's feet, and illuminated the both of them, just enough that Benjy could appreciate all the things she was doing to him, without being in total darkness.

"And do you like what you know?"

She smiled against his neck. "I don't know…you've been pretty bad haven't you?" She took one of her hands from where in was resting on the wall next to Benjy's head and trailed it down his chest until she grabbed the throbbing erection from outside of his trousers. He groaned.

"_Yes, _I have_._"

"Like when you stripped naked last year after O.W.L.s and ran around the school," she said, still gripping him firmly.

"Mhmm," he said as she began stroking him.

"And when you fingered Sarah MacMillan under the table during Charms," she said in her sultry voice, as she unzipped his trousers and sank to her knees in front of him.

Benjy almost squealed in excitement.

He noticed Lily shifting for a second, before settling back in front of him.

"Or the time you got so drunk after last years Quidditch Final that you mistook Andrew West for a girl and had anal sex with him."

Benjy froze for a split second, not believing what he was hearing.

"Impedimenta," Lily said before he could run, pointing his own wand at him and rising off her knees.

Benjy was frozen, standing there with his cock out and almost trembling in fear.

Lily smiled that dangerous smile at him.

"How did you know that? No ones knows about that…"

"Andrew West certainly did."

"Yes, but…"

"Yes but you'd thought you'd taken care of it."

"I _did_," Benjy said indignantly.

"If I were you, I'd review the chapter on memory modification in our spell book, because yours aren't quite up to snuff."

Benjy stared at her with a mixture of fear and total awe.

"I told you, Benjy Fenwick. I know everything about you."

"Okay. Then why've you brought me here?"

"I need you to do something for me."

"A favor?"

"No," she said sharply. "A favor implies I will be actively doing something in return for you. I need you to do something for me, and that will be the end of it."

"And if I refuse?"

A dark look crossed her face. "You aren't in a position to refuse. You know what information I have, Fenwick. It isn't wise to cross me."

"And what exactly are you going to do with the information?"

"If you do what you're supposed to, withhold it."

"And what, you're going to tell everyone if I don't do something for you? You're bluffing." Benjy's voice was confident, but his knees were knocking together.

"Are you really willing to take that chance?" she asked with a small grin.

Benjy grunted. "What do you want?"

Lily smiled like a lion having just gotten her prey. "Just one tiny thing…"

The air was thick with excitement the following Saturday, as the entire school made their way down to the pitch; everyone was giddy for the upcoming match. Houses mingled with each other, students of the ones not playing sporting the colors of the ones who were, and Mundungus Fletcher was running from group to group, taking last minute bets for his pool.

"Ravenclaw, most definitely," Jeremy Lyons was saying to Mundungus, who had stopped him and his friends outside the Gryffindor changing room. "Five Galleons on Ravenclaw." He handed Fletcher the money, who was scribbling down the bet in a grubby notebook he had. "They're top-notch this year," continued Jeremy. "Three already scouted players, and Fenwick as Captain? They're going to absolutely _flatten_ Gryffindor."

"You sure about that, Lyons?" said a voice, and the group of Hufflepuff boys turned to see Lily sauntering towards them.

A smirk graced Jeremy's face. "Think I'm wrong, do you Evans?"

Lily looked at him with her wide green eyes. "I _know _you're wrong, Lyons."

The other boys in the group began giving each other excited looks. Jeremy and Lily had famously hooked up in their fourth year, and the entire school had waited for them to repeat it. The two's coolness and rebellion made them perfect for each other, and they weren't in the same House, which always made for messy hookups. They hadn't done anything since that first time though, much to the school's disappointment.

"Fancy a bet?"

Lily's lips curled into a smile. "You have no idea."

"Mundungus, if you will—"

"No," interrupted Lily. "Off the books. This is between you and me, baby."

Jeremy paused, and then grinned. "Sounds good. How much are you willing to lose?"

"Two hundred Galleons."

"Fi—wait what?"

Lily smirked. "Two hundred Galleons on Gryffindor beating Ravenclaw 310-10." The Lyon's family was one of the richest wizarding families in the world, but had only recently become so; most people speculated that they had achieved their wealth through less-than-legal means and, even so, two hundred Galleons was quite a bit of money for a Hogwarts student surviving on his monthly allowance.

Jeremy grimaced. Evans had played this well; she knew that he could not back down once he had stated his intent and given her the opportunity to name the price.

"Fine. Two hundred on that prediction," he said through gritted teeth. "Shake on it?"

"Kiss on it," said Lily, and she grabbed his collar and drew him into her mouth. The boys around him began to hoot and holler and cause the immature ruckus boys do when they see such things.

All the noise seeped into the Gryffindor changing room, interrupting James's pre-game speech.

"What the bloody hell is going on out there?" he said aloud, interrupting his lecture on defensive positioning.

Kirk Peates, one of their beaters, ambled over to the open window and stuck his head out of it.

"It's Evans and Lyons," he grunted.

"What are they doing?" asked Sirius, leaning against the far wall.

"Shoving their tongues down each others throats."

"What? "yelped Sirius. He and James hurried to the window and shoved Peates out of the way. "Isn't she supposed to fuck Moony today?"

"Yeah," replied James, staring out the window at the pair. "What the hell is she doing?"

Sirius shrugged, and then, without speaking, they both darted out the door and strode to where the pair were still locked in a tight embrace.

Sirius reached Jeremy just as they stopped kissing; he noticed Jeremy looked rather terrified, and the teensiest bit turned on.

"Lyons," greeted James coldly. "Mind if we borrow Evans?"

Jeremy shrugged. "Do whatever you want." He was just turning away, when he stopped.

"Hey Potter."

James acknowledged him with a nod. "Do whatever it takes to lose, alright? I've got a lot of money on Ravenclaw."

James smirked. "Then I will do everything in my power to make sure you lose every cent of it."

Jeremy Lyons gave him a hard smile, and walked away, the June sun glinting off the back of his blonde head.

"Now," said James, turning back to Lily who was standing demurely in front of him and Sirius. "What the bloody hell were you doing, kissing Lyons like that? You can't do that!"

Lily's eyebrow shot up. "Excuse me?"

"What he means to say," said Sirius hastily, before James could say anything else. "Is that we assumed today would be the day that you sleep with Remus, and that we're confused as to why exactly you were kissing Lyons; Remus could've seen, and then not wanted to sleep with you."

Lily started at him for a hard minute. "Let me get one thing clear, Black. I'm doing this as a service and favor to you—"

"—And getting one in return," muttered James.

"However, that doesn't mean that life has to stop because the Marauders deigned to grace me with their holy presence. I have things to do, business to take care of. Got it?"

The two boys nodded. Her lips quirked into a slow smile.

"Good luck." And she began to saunter away, with both boys appreciating the view it allowed them, before turning around once more. "Hey Potter. Do whatever it takes to win, alright? I've got a lot of money on Gryffindor." He grinned, and the raven-haired boy and the flame-headed girl stood there for a minute, suspended in the golden afternoon of summer, oblivious to everything and everyone. She broke the spell first, and turned away from James and Sirius, and began loping towards the stands.

And this time, she did not look back.

The familiar excitement was in the air was electric as the spectators awaited the players. Remus Lupin was sitting in the middle of the Gryffindor section, sporting a bright pink shirt that had "I LOVE PRONGS AND PADFOOT" splashed across the front.

"Nice shirt," said Lily, sitting down next to him.

He grinned. "Thanks, they made it for me last week, apparently if I don't wear it I'm not a good friend."

"Did they make one for Peter as well?"

Remus nodded. "Yeah, but he's in the Hospital Wing; one of his potions blew up during his Remedial Sessions."

"Yeah, I was there."

Remus glanced at her. "Really? Why?"

"I teach Remedial Potions. Slughorn just doesn't have the time."

"I'm impressed."

Lily shrugged, and did not reply for the Marcus Northwood had just assumed his regular seat behind the microphone and had spoken.

"WELCOOOOOOOME HOGWARTS!"

This simple admission was met with cheers and chants from both sides of the pitch as the entire population of Hogwarts rose to their feet.

"On this very special and historic day—"

"How is it historic?" wondered Remus aloud.

"To the Quidditch Final with Ravenclaw and Gryffindoooooor!"

Northwood stood up, and pointed to one end of the pitch. "I give you….RAVENCLAW!" Seven streams of bright blew emerged from the ground, and flew around the pitch.

"Michaels, Stevens, Bellamy, Christianson, Smith, Anderson, and Fenwick!" Benjy's name was met with the loudest of cheers as the team continued to fly around the pitch.

"And now," said Northwood in a hushed tone. "I give you …GRYFFINDOR!" Seven blurs of crimson shot of the ground, opposite of the Ravenclaws and rose up in one movement, staying together, and hovering twenty meters above the spectators, watching them likes gods of the universe.

"Wood, Longbottom, Dominick, Shades, Cootes, Renoll, and Potter!" Again, the Captain's name was met with the loudest yell, even louder than Benjy's had been. The girls in the crowd swooned and professed their love as James Potter rose above them, looking down with a superior glare.

A whistle sounded, and Madame Hooch strode out onto the field.

"Captains!" she bellowed, loud enough for the cheering stadium to hear. "Shake hands!"

Benjy and James both urged their brooms forwards and met in the middle of the pitch, still dozens of meters above the cheering crowd.

"Potter," said Benjy, removing his glove and grasping his Gryffindor counterpart's hand.

"Fenwick," said James through gritted teeth. He noticed, as he shook Fenwick's hand, that it was dripping with sweat, and, upon further inspection, so was his brow.

"You alright, Fenwick?" asked James. "You don't look so good."

Benjy growled. "It's nothing. Just…just tell Lily when you see her that I kept my end of the bargain up. Now she has to keep hers."

James furrowed his brow. "What does that mean?" Benjy shook his head, and flew towards the goalposts he would be protecting as Ravenclaw's Keeper.

James tried to clear his head. There was enough going on without having Crazy Lily on his mind as well. He'd tell her after the game, he reasoned. _Right before she sleeps with Moony,_ he thought with dread. James took one deep breath, and resolved not to think about it anymore.

"Players, at the ready!" called Madame Hooch. "Three, two—" she blew her whistle, and the match began.

Twenty minutes later, Gryffindor was up 130-10. The blue side of the stadium was relatively quiet, when compared with the roaring lion of a crowd opposite them. The fans clad in red and gold shouted and screamed as their heroes darted and swerved around the pitch, booing when a Ravenclaw Chaser got the Quaffle.

It wasn't as if Ravenclaw was playing badly, thought Remus. They were actually out classing Gryffindor at some points. No, the problem for the Eagles was Benjy Fenwick, the star Keeper. Every time One of Gryffindor's Chasers zoomed towards him with the Quaffle and launched it towards one of the goalposts, he missed it.

"Not only does he miss it," Remus was saying to Lily, shouting above the crowd's roar as James scored twice again, and the chants for 'Potter' began. "It's almost like he's diving out of the way, so he intentionally doesn't get it."

"Weird," said Lily with a smile. "Only one more goal until 160."

"Why does that matter?"

Lily looked over at him, smiling with her teeth. "It doesn't." And she wouldn't say anything more.

James paused in mid-flight, looking over at the scoreboard. 140 for Gryffindor, and 10 for Ravenclaw. This match would turn out to be an easy flattening if Cootes could find that damn Snitch. James whistled at Madame Hooch for a time out, and his players convened around him, hovering above the pitch.

"Listen up! We're winning but don't you dare rest on your laurels. If their Seeker gets the Snitch we lose. I want everyone focused on keeping Cootes out of their Beaters way, alright? I'll keep focus on offense, because it will be so damn easy to rack up more points on Fenwick."

"Yeah, what the hell is going on with him today?" asked Sirius.

James shrugged. "Whatever it is, let's capitalize on it. Cootes, if you don't get that goddamned Snitch in the next three minutes I will not let you back on the team next year, got it?" Cootes gulped and nodded. "Alright, let's go." The team scattered much to the pleasure of the savage crowd, who were getting off on this brutal game.

As the match began again, James scored two more goals, bringing the score up to 160, and as he did, he caught a glimpse of Benjy Fenwick's distraught face. He looked as though he had died; lifeless and black, like he had all game. _He isn't even trying_, thought James. James shot the Quaffle for the third goal since the match had resumed, but Benjy had looked at the scoreboard, seemed to notice something, and had his first save of the game.

In that moment, Benjy and James both stared at each other, before hearing a roar in the background.

"Gryffindor wins!" shouted Northwood, and James turned to see Cootes hovering above the Gryffindor stands, a shiny gold Snitch clasped in his hands.

"Well, that's it," said Remus, standing and stretching. Lily stood fluidly with him. "You going to the after-party?"

Lily smiled. "Is there anyone who isn't?"

Remus grinned, and the pair began walking down the steps to where the Gryffindor team was being carried on the shoulders of their fans. "Brilliant match!" he shouted through cupped hands, and Sirius and James both turned their heads and grinned.

"Since you're going tonight, does that mean we're having sex?"

Remus froze and stared at Lily. "_What_?"

Lily shrugged. "James and Sirius asked me to take your virginity. But, if you're not up for becoming a man, that's fine." She gave him a smile and started to walk away, before Remus caught her arms and stopped her.

"No, it's just...nevermind. Yeah, I guess it means we're having sex.

Lily didn't have to turn around for Remus to know that she was smiling her damn smile again.

"See you tonight," she said softly, and walked away.

Remus stood there, drowning in a sea of red and gold and wondering just what Sirius and James had gotten him into.


	5. The Muggleborn and The Werewolf

**AN:** **HEY GUESS WHO'S EXTREMELY SORRY FOR HAVING NOT UPDATED FOR SIX MONTHS. There's really no excuse, I put it off for a while, then I got down on myself and told myself that no one actually cared about it any ways and it wasn't even good blah blah blah and then I come back to all your wonderful reviews you guys are seriously the best!**

** This is just a quick one to let you guys know I haven't died. Also: I read the other four chapters and noticed some pretty glaring continuity and grammar issues, ones that I have fixed. (The continuity issues weren't that bad, just some problems with the bets/quidditch scores so it's not insanely necessary that you re-read my story)**

**Also I just want to point out that the Marauders in this chapter (James and Sirius, really) discuss how being a virgin makes you less of a man, and there has been some slut shaming in previous chapters, and these are not my views, I just wanted a different, douchey take on the group we love so much. I find that many teenage boys are indeed slut shamers and it was interesting to contrast that with Lily's feminist lines (and she will have many more. This is the 70s, after all). **

**Chapter Four**

The Gryffindor Common Room was alive with shouts and cheers as the Quidditch team trouped in, fresh from their showers. The crowd squeezed into every available space in the room, Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors alike, and even a few surly Slytherins, who were just there for the drinks.

The cheers rose to a deafening roar as James Potter stepped into the line of view, and all at once a hoard of girls rushed towards him. Remus chuckled at this as he walked by the now-invisible James – un-seeable through the now multitudes of girls screaming his name.

Remus took a Butterbeer off a passing Hufflepuff's tray and wove through the crowd of dancing and gyrating people to get to a secluded corner of the Common Room where Sirius was waiting for him.

"Where's Evans?" asked Sirius by way of greeting.

Remus shrugged. "I lost her after the match. Good job mate, by the way."

Sirius nodded distractedly, craning his neck to look over the crowd. Remus took this rare opportunity to study his friend. Sirius Black had always been as popular as James Potter, but where James was ostentatious about his status, Sirius was modest about his. Sirius equated his huge popularity with the family he had left behind that past summer, and Remus supposed he didn't want to be thought of as 'one of them' in any way. Sure, Sirius used his popularity and shagged his way around the school, but never would you find James Potter sitting in a secluded cranny during a party. Remus had always thought the infamous pair was like two sides of the same coin that somehow shared similar qualities; he wasn't sure, after all, he was no philosopher. Sirius's straight nose and dark locks and mysterious eyes made the girls of Hogwarts faint with desire, believing themselves to be the only one who could be the 'one' for Sirius Black, but, no matter how hard they tried, Sirius was on to the next one in less than a week. James had always kept his girlfriends a tad bit longer than that, but only because his mother's harsh upbringing instilled a harsh sense of common courtesy into him and, no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, being a gentleman was always his first instinct.

"Where do you think she is?" Sirius's voice startled Remus out of his reverie.

"Hm? Who?"

Sirius shot him an annoyed glance, his black-blue hair swishing over his forehead with the movement. "Evans. You guys _are_ shagging tonight, right?"

Remus sighed heavily. "Yes, that's the plan."

A grin spread over Sirius's handsome face. "Excellent. Now we can be the Marauders again."

Remus frowned; his brown eyes grew puzzled. "Excuse me, but when have we not been the Marauders? And when has my virginity had _anything_ to do with being the Marauders?"

Sirius shushed him hurriedly. "Someone might hear that you've still got your v-card!"

Remus rolled his eyes. "My _v-card_? I'm sorry, I didn't know this was fourth year when we were discussing who was going to take Lily Evans's virginity. Seriously, Pads, grow up."

Sirius grinned. "Anyway, your virginity has _everything_ to do with the Marauders. All of our virginities did. To be a Marauder is to be a man, and you can't be a man with a virginity."

"Says who?"

"Says everybody," said James, sliding into the seat next to Sirius, facing Remus. "We weren't the Marauders until we lost our virginities."

"Just boys, playing at being men," said Sirius almost wistfully. "Even now, we're not the Marauders; we're the Marauders plus Remus…the Marauders featuring Remus…the Marauders with Remus in a supporting role."

"Sounds like a dingy punk-band," said James, reaching over and taking a swig of Remus's Butterbeer.

Sirius took the Butterbeer out of James's hand and, ignoring Remus's protests, took a sip. "More like a lack-luster cover band who only does weird metal songs."

James contemplated this for a moment. "Yeah, I guess that works as well," he took back the Butterbeer and sipped it thoughtfully, looking over the rims of his glasses at Remus, who thought suddenly of Albus Dumbledore. "Point is, Moony, is that your virginity depends on us as a unit; we can never be the Marauders is one of our members remains less than he can be!"

"Exactly, thank you Prongs," said Sirius, swiping back the Butterbeer. "We're just trying to help you, Moony; trying to help you realize your full potential."

Moony stared at them both for a few seconds. "You two are barking mad."

Sirius smiled at Remus's choice of words. "That may be so, good sir, but you're still listening to us, aren't you?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Is this all you two think about? Sex?"

"Of course not, Moony," replied Sirius. "I cannot believe you would make such a grossly false accusation."

"Indeed, for shame," said James in a pompous voice. "We sometimes pay attention in class."

"Yes, but only sometimes. We do think about sex quite a lot." Sirius and James burst into laughter.

Remus was about to roll his eyes yet again, when he realized doing so would probably cause them to cramp up or freeze in the constant expression of disdain he wore so frequently around his friends.

"Well, good thing you won't have to think about my sex life after tonight. You two idiots will finally be able to leave me alone."

Sirius grinned slyly. "Is that really what you think will happen? After you lose it to Evans, we won't _stop_ talking to you about it."

"Seriously mate," agreed James. "Once you've shagged the hottest bird in the entire school—"

"—And quite possibly in the entire world," interjected Sirius.

"—We will need _serious _details."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Details?"

"Details," affirmed James. "I mean, it's June; we have the rest of this month, and then seventh year and then we're done, Hogwarts is over and we're thrown into the real world; the world of banks and jobs and wars. I recognize it as immature and a tad bit perverted, but I only have a short time left to be the charming, handsome youth you see before you, and, if getting you to spill on your sexcapade is the closest I will ever get to shagging the bird with the nicest arse in the entire school—"

"—Or world," said Sirius.

"—Then I will get you to spill."

Remus grinned. "I don't think I will be spilling anything to you my good sir."

James shrugged. "Have it your way. You can tell me, or I can torture it out of you, your pick, my good sir."

Sirius barked a laugh. "Just don't finish too quickly, eh, Moony? Chicks don't like it when that happens."

"Also, try to let her finish first, it's common courtesy. _However_, if you can't hang on—"

"—Then just finish anyways!" finished James with a laugh. "Also, as soon as you're done get the bloody hell out of there."

"Yeah, you don't want a clingy one," agreed Sirius.

Remus raised an incredulous eyebrow. "Do you really think Lily Evans is the type of girl to be clingy?"

"Hm," said James. "History does show that the males do become more clingy to Lily Evans, rather than the other way around…"

"But, she is still Crazy Lily. What if she has a psychopathic episode in the middle and whips out a butter knife and stabs you?"

"Then I would be completely surprised."

"Surprised and stabbed," said James. "Just a thought; are the butter knives at this school sharp enough to stab someone with?"

"Get a crazy girl and anything is sharp enough to stab someone with," said Sirius, taking another swig of Remus's Butterbeer.

"Lily isn't crazy."

Sirius looked exaggeratedly shocked. _"Lily? _Lily _Evans_? Why, _I _never said she was crazy. Did you Prongs?"

James took on Sirius' unaffected air. "I most certainly did not Padfoot. Can it be that Mr. _Moony_ over here thinks that she's crazy?"

"That who's crazy?" said a voice from outside the alcove. The three jumped and turned to see Lily Evans leaning nonchalantly against the wall, her eyes fixed on James.

Neither of his friends said anything, so Remus replied, "No one. How are you Lily?"

Her cat-like eyes remained on James, the green fire of her irises licking his face. He stared back because that seemed like the appropriate thing to do in that particular situation, though he really had no idea how to handle it. What was one to do when Crazy Lily was staring at you and it felt like your face was on fire from the heat radiating from her stare?

"Fine," she replied, moving her gaze slowly from James to Remus. It was like being released from chokehold; James gasped inaudibly when her eyes moved.

Her lips curled when she faced Remus. "Want to take a walk?"

He swallowed audibly, his palms beginning to itch. "Al-alright."

She held out her hand and gripped Remus' before nodding to the two remaining Marauders. "Boys."

The muggleborn and the werewolf walked away, and Sirius and James took the time to appreciate the sight of Lily Evans from behind before turning back to each other.

"So I guess this means all we have to do now is wait for that favor," Sirius said. "Now that Evans is fucking Moony."

James shifted uncomfortably, trying to rid is stomach of a twist he could not quite explain. "Yeah, I guess."

"What do you think it'll be?"

James shrugged. "Knowing Evans, something weird."

Sirius nodded in agreement. "She'll probably try and sell us on the sex market or something."

"Who's going to sell you on the sex market?" said Peter as he walked up.

"Crazy Lily," replied Sirius. "Our burden to bear after so generously getting one of our best mates his first shag."

Peter grinned and slid into the nook next to James, his brown hair looking dull in the low light. "I can't believe she actually agreed to do that."

James shrugged. "I think the most important lesson we've learned lo these many years is to not be too disbelieved at anything Evans does. Who knows, she and Moony could be plotting to elope right now and quite frankly, I wouldn't be too surprised."

Lily's hand was vice-like in Remus' as she led him through the crowded Gryffindor Common Room. As they passed, many people gave him knowing grins and looks, and a few even clapped him on the back, predicting what the two were heading off to do.

The pair exited the Common Room and walked down two corridors in silence, before Remus could bear it no longer.

"So, erm-where exactly are we going?"

Lily gave him a look. "There's always empty classrooms on the fourth floor. I thought those would be ideal, seeing as we would probably be interrupted in one of our dorms."

"Right," said Remus in a high-pitched voice, quite unlike his own. He swallowed as Lily stopped in front of the classroom they had had their second year Transfiguration class in.

As they entered the classroom, his mind went into overdrive and started seizing little details, like how in the dark Lily's hair looked black, or how there was still a lesson on the chalkboard in the front of the room, or how there was a littering of crumpled parchment near the garbage.

Lily stopped at the front of the room and leaned on the professors' desk, her long slim legs catching the moonlight filtering in through the window.

"So," she said with an inviting smile.

Remus looked at her for a moment, his entire being in chaos.

_Just go and bloody shag her already_, said the voice that sounded suspiciously like Sirius.

_Come on mate, don't be a prat_; that one was James.

_Maybe you should talk to her first_, said the Peter in his mind.

The voices raged inside his head until he found the one that said; _You know you don't actually want to do this._

That one was his own.

He sighed, disappointed that it had took him all this time to realize that. "Look, Lily-"

"You don't actually want to shag me and you're sorry for waiting all this time to tell me?" she interrupted.

He stared. "Um..yes. How did you-"

"Remus, I like to think that you and I are one of the same mind. We think alike and we are alike. I knew you wouldn't want to shag. You're too good, Remus. You're one of those people who wants to wait for a girl you actually care about-"

"-I care about you, Lily," he interrupted. She held up a hand.

"Care about in the sense that you want to shag her brains out. You want love, you don't want to be like your friends and whore it up all over the school."

He looked at her through narrowed eyes. "So if you knew all along that I wouldn't actually go through with it, why did you go through the whole charade?"

She smiled that Lily Evans smile, the sweet one; the one that could get you killed if you made a wrong move. "I believe you and I can use this situation to our advantage."

"Go on."

"You don't want to shag me, but you want your mates to think you did so they'll stop taking the mickey out of you. I don't care much of what your friends think, but I need a favor from you."

"So…"

"So here's the deal: you can tell your mates we shagged and I'll go along with it, so long as you promise me a favor."

"What sort of favor?"

She smiled that godforsaken smile once more. "One that I'll call in when I need to."

Remus sat back against a desk in the front row. "I need to know what the favor is, Lily."

Her eyes narrowed, the smile gone. "You need to tell Potter and Black that we shagged even more, though. After all, you can't truly be a man or a Marauder when you're a virgin."

"Were you eavesdropping on us?" he asked indignantly.

"You'd be surprised how many girls one can buy off in this school. Especially when your instructions are to listen in on the infamous Marauders."

Remus' jaw dropped. "You're a fucking psychopath, you know that?"

Lily flipped her hair off her shoulder with an air of a conceited thirteen year-old. "Call me what you want. Do we have a deal?"

Remus looked at the girl in front of him, seemingly harmless and innocent-apart from the teeth-baring grin spreading across her face. Her demure stature and wide eyes contrasted heavily with the lower half of her face, but he reprimanded himself for trying to judge her based on her appearance.

He cocked his head to the side. "Fine. Deal."

The grin grew as Lily stuck out her hand, and shook Remus' with the vigor of a seasoned business man.

She twirled past him and sauntered to the door, before turning back to him.

"By the way, if you don't tell your bloody mates how fucking fantastic I was in the sack, I'll make sure that favor I call in is to castrate yourself."

She smiled at him sweetly and then slipped out the door.

Remus sank into one of the chairs, debating in his head whether the price of being indebted to the Devil was really worth fake-losing his virginity.

As Remus headed back up to Gryffindor Tower, Lily was making her way toward the kitchens. When she got to the kitchen corridor, she stopped at a stack of barrels. She pulled out her long wand and tapped the barrel two from the bottom, in the middle of the second row, to the tune of "Helga Hufflepuff". The lid swung open, and Lily crawled through a passageway, into the cozy Hufflepuff Common Room.

She straightened up, and allowed her eyes to adjust to the low lighting. The ceiling was low, and the crackling fire in the wall was surrounded in overstuffed armchairs, similar to the ones found in her own House's Common Room. The walls were decorated with plants and vegetation, no doubt placed there by Hufflepuff's Head; Pomona Sprout, the young Herbology professor. The walls were dotted with little tunnel entrances, no doubt leading to the dormitories and other secret Hufflepuff places. The entire place gave off the impression of a hovel or underground cave, and Lily would have been perfectly content to spend the night there, had she not other business to attend to.

Once her eyes had finally situated themselves, she made her way to a low lying tunnel, and began to crawl through it.

Lily had always had a bit of a soft spot for Hufflepuff. Though they always got a bad rep within Hogwarts, she truly admired their value of loyalty, a trait she knew was all too important-especially facing what lay ahead.

She sneezed as some dust flew into her nose, but continued her trek through the tunnel. The murmurings inside Hogwarts and the worrying Daily Prophet articles reporting on attacks were some of the topics she did not wish to think about. Lily didn't want this magical world to fall apart to give way to the real reality of the racism and genocide she knew were so close. Her father told her stories growing up of the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany, and she recognized some of those tales in the whispers of a man named Tom Riddle.

She shook her head. No need to focus on it, however. She was here for business. Lily stood up and shook out the stiffness from her limbs. She had arrived in the Hufflepuff boys dormitories. They were identical to Gryffindor's, except for the posters of half dressed Muggle women strewn across the walls. Lily smiled as she passed a pin up of Farrah Fawcett, and sat down on one of the four-poster beds.

Its inhabitant mumbled in his sleep, and then rolled over to face Lily. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and then started, realized she was actually there.

"Lyons," she murmured.

"Evans…what…"

She placed a finger to her lips and waved her wand. "_Muffilato._"

Jeremy furrowed his brow. "What spell was that? I've never heard it before."

She turned back to him, scooting further onto the bed until she was cross-legged. "Let's just say inventing spells is a lot easier than our Professors have let on," she sad vaguely.

Jeremy sat up in bed, the sheets gathered around him. "So, what are you doing here?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You owe me two hundred Galleons. Pay up."

He sighed. "Look, Evans. Are you really going to make me pay you two hundred?"

She gazed at him unblinkingly. "We had a deal. Give me my fucking money."

Jeremy rolled his eyes. "Evans two hundred is a lot."

She smiled. "And that's why I bet two hundred. Because I need a lot."

He sighed once more, and reached under his bed, drawing out a box that rattled, presumably with the coins his parents supplied him with every month.

"Why do you need two hundred Galleons?" he asked as he opened the box and began counting out the money.

Lily's cat-like eyes fixed unblinkingly on the coins. "Don't worry about it, Lyons."

"Have you gotten yourself mixed up in anything bad, Lily?"

She snorted. "It's hard to tell the difference between bad and good, these days."

Jeremy tucked the money into a bag and handed it to her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Lily sighed heavily, the weight of the day's work finally weighing down on her. "It means that the lines are being redrawn, Lyons. The world is going to cease to exist as we know it. There is no bad or good anymore. Only those with power, and those without."

She murmured her thanks, and made her way to the tunnel in the ground. Jeremy watched her duck and crawl back down to the Common Room, before flopping back onto his pillows. The name 'Crazy Lily' seemed more fitting now than ever, and he tried to go to sleep, but her parting words kept turning over in his head.

_The lines are being redrawn…no bad or good…only those with power, and those without._

**AN: Holy moly that sounded strangely reminiscent of Voldemort's speech to Harry in PS! What has Lily gotten herself mixed up in?**

Once again thank you so much for reading I will have the next update up pronto there will be NO MORE six-month absences! Also I am so sorry if there are any errors in this, I wrote it as fast as I could in order to post it, so my editing was very limited and not thorough.


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